I replaced my gym workouts with fitness goggles. Here’s what happened

As a former dancer, group-based training classes are my preferred form of exercise. There is something exhilarating about being surrounded by others who share a common goal. It also helps when an instructor leads the class, pushes me, and corrects my form if necessary. Lastly, a little variation in my exercise routine works great; HIIT classes one day, Pilates another, and some yoga in between.

The Feature Mini Fitness Glasses Scratches most of my itches, promises a library of on-demand classes, Motion Engine technology that gives you instant feedback, and stylish design for home decor. By mirroring the instructor of your chosen class, users can see the exercises themselves during the workouts.

You might be thinking, “This sounds familiar. Aren’t fitness glasses already a thing?” Absolutely. Lululemon Glass The most popular of them all. What sets the Feature Mini apart is its ability to provide seamless and immediate feedback as you count your reps. But is the experience of using a fitness mirror a perfect substitute for private classes? Read my verdict after using the Feature Mini as my sole training tool for the past month.

Specifications

Dimensions	63 inches x 20 inches; 1.6 inches deep
Screen size	32 inches
Weight	40 pounds
Support type	Silver finish legs
connection	Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Membership fees	$25 per month for up to 7 profiles
Price	$750

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Designed to work in style

When I first told my roommates that I was getting a workout mirror to review, I could see them scowling in fear of what more space we would have to sacrifice in our modest New York City apartment. So funny, the look on their faces did a 180 when the mirror was shown in a small box that fit perfectly on the wall opposite our bed and unexpectedly completed the aesthetic of our space. The 63-inch-tall mirror has a modern, glossy finish, making it an elegant addition to the living room rather than an awkward conversation piece.

Feature’s original interactive mirror, The Feature core, is taller and wider than the Mini, and also weighs 20 pounds. I’ve only tried the smaller model and I think the screen is good enough to get a good visual and exercise experience. For what it’s worth, my six-foot-tall boyfriend could still see his full reflection during practice.

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The mirror stands on two silver legs compared to the attachment stand that the larger core model relies on. This gave the Mini a very luxurious look.

Basics of Interactive Mirroring

When the mirror is off, it’s perfect for looking at your reflection or taking a quick mirror selfie. That’s an obvious offer. When turned on, an instructor is shown in the middle of the screen, accompanied by trendy (usually pop) workout music coming from the mirror’s speakers. The projection is not completely translucent, so your own reflection is slightly obstructed, but the instructor’s projection is concentrated only in the center of the mirror so you can clearly see your overall movement. Once your selected exercise counts your reps, they will be displayed at the top of the screen above the instructor.

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To turn on the mirror, plug a two-foot long cord into a nearby outlet, press the round silver button on the right side of the mirror, or open the class on the mobile app to start the entire system.

Motion Engine is the real deal

As I mentioned earlier, what sets this home gym device apart from similar products is the motion sensor technology. Using the tiny camera in the middle of the screen, the Feature Mini device can sense your proximity, how many times you’ve done it, and whether you’re doing the exercises correctly. If you have a heart rate monitor — I used one Apple Watch — displays your real-time stats in the top right corner of the screen, a neat cross-platform feature.

I’ll admit that I was initially apprehensive about the motion engine technology, but my skepticism quickly disappeared once I got into the groove of the mirror’s workouts. From my first HIIT workout to my floor-based Pilates workouts, the feature counted every burpee and sit-up, told me when I needed to reposition for an accurate reading, and had no sympathy for calling out my not-so-great squat. form.

The good thing is that instead of pausing your workout after a bad push-up or squat, the mirror simply doesn’t count the rep. As someone who often performs difficult moves to “get over them,” not counting my poor form actually motivated me to correct it, naturally reducing my chances of injury.

Plus, every time you hit another rep, the feature plays a rewarding chime sound, sending a straight shot of serotonin to your brain. A similar effect occurs at the end of each workout when the instructor gives you a virtual high five.

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One thing to note is that while the motion engine doesn’t miss a rep, it can sometimes overdo it if I’m doing a complex movement like plank rotations. However, this does not prevent a good training.

For those not too hip to the whole hidden camera feature, the Feature Mini comes with a small magnetic camera sensor that snaps onto the mirror without affecting your view of the instructor. Obviously, this privacy movement comes at the cost of sensitivity benefits.

Software experience

When it comes to actually choosing classes, your smartphone is the mirror’s main remote. Before starting the workout, the app asked me a few questions about my preferences, key fitness goals, and how many times a week I planned to use the Feature Mini. After a while, App designed a personalized plan to help me achieve those goals.

For those who prefer the accountability that comes with booking an actual fitness class, you can let the app ping you specific workout days from your phone and glasses. Naturally, you should exercise regularly.

Even if you decide not to follow Ficher’s tailor-made plan, you can choose from nine different class types that vary from 10-60 minutes at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The app makes it easy to explore different challenges and search by what type of workout you want.

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What I really enjoyed about the Feature Mini was the flexibility to do a quick 10 minute pilates workout during my WFH break. Similarly, I felt more comfortable doing 60 minutes of intense exercise at night instead of going to my local gym in the cold. The mirror enabled me to connect its audio to Bluetooth headphones.

Quality of classes

Like any person’s fitness studio, the feature app has instructors you prefer over others. For the most part, the instructors I had were positive, direct, balanced motivation, and sounded clear through the feature’s built-in speakers.

I tried at least one of each class type and found HIIT, Pilates, and strength classes to be very comparable to the in-studio version. However, I would say that most intermediate and advanced classes require additional equipment.

Does it fit the mini bill?

Be warned, access to classes comes with an additional fee. Besides $750 price tag For Fitness Mirror, you pay a monthly fee of $25 to access Fiture’s scope of virtual classes.

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Of course, compared to Barry’s BootCamp and Soul Cycle’s in-person classes that cost more than $25 each, Fiture’s monthly membership fee is easy to swallow. However, when you’re already paying $750 for home gym hardware, it’s a bit annoying to skimp on anything extra. It doesn’t help that you basically have $750 worth of glasses if you don’t opt ​​for membership. To be fair, the $25 fee allows for up to seven profiles, so even if your family members don’t have glasses, they can benefit from the same classes from their mobile devices.

Bottom line

Although there are many offers, I will be honest Mini features Studio classes are not completely interchangeable. While the device fosters motivation and accountability in different ways, it lacks what usually pushes me the most during exercise: workout companions.

By rewarding points (if quantifiable) based on the number of reps and heart rate of each class participant — even if it’s virtual — I’d give Fitcher major props in creating a competitive fitness environment. At the end of the classes, I could see where I ranked among the participants, which always made for a wonderful way to wrap things up. However, the shared similarity of workout buddies who work up a sweat through vigorous exercise is missing.

With Motion Engine technology to take your virtual classes to the next level, the Fiture Mini is an attractive at-home option if you prefer to stay in the gym. The extensive library of tutorials is great, and the quality of the instructors is even better. However, since most high-level classes require additional equipment and lack peer motivation, I’m not entirely sold that the overall experience will fully mirror that of an in-studio class.

Alternatives to consider

Besides Feature Mini, here are the best alternatives you should consider: